South Western Railway Calls Off June 3 Trial Of Bengaluru-Mangaluru Vande Bharat Express

The much-awaited trial run of the proposed Bengaluru-Mangaluru Vande Bharat Express, scheduled for June 3, has been cancelled by South Western Railway, according to a report by Mangalore Today. While the Railways has not officially disclosed the reason for the cancellation, sources suggest that the non-availability of the required rake, operational priorities, and certain technical considerations may have contributed to the decision.

The proposed Vande Bharat service has generated significant excitement among residents of Coastal Karnataka and the Dakshina Kannada region since its announcement. Once launched, the train is expected to substantially cut travel time between Bengaluru and Mangaluru while improving regional connectivity and boosting tourism and business travel.

The trial run was planned on the newly electrified Sakleshpur-Subrahmanya Road ghat section of the Hassan-Mangaluru railway line, with the train operating between Yeshwantpur and Mangaluru Central. This stretch is regarded as one of India's most challenging railway routes, featuring a steep 1-in-50 gradient, 57 tunnels, 226 bridges, and 108 sharp curves. The route is also prone to landslides, and its electrification took nearly two years to complete.

South Western Railway had intended to deploy an eight-car Vande Bharat trainset equipped with an Auto Emergency Brake (AEB) system for the trial. The AEB system has been specially installed to meet the demanding operational requirements of the 55-km ghat section due to its steep gradients and difficult terrain. It is considered a key safety enhancement for the project as the technology restricts the train's speed to 30 kmph on the section and automatically applies the brakes if the speed limit is exceeded, ensuring safer operations.

According to the proposed trial plan, a one-way journey was expected to take around 8.5 hours. The train was also scheduled to halt at major stations along the route, including Hassan, Sakleshpur, and Subrahmanya Road.

The trial was expected to play a crucial role in evaluating the feasibility of operating the semi-high-speed Vande Bharat train on one of Karnataka's most important railway corridors through the Western Ghats. During the test, South Western Railway intended to study factors such as crew interchange, station halt duration, train timings, and operational procedures at originating and terminating stations. The findings would have been used to prepare a detailed report and finalise the timetable for the service.

Earlier, a senior team from the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), the testing and standards body of the Ministry of Railways, was scheduled to conduct advanced trials on the ghat section beginning June 1. Following the successful completion of these tests and approval from the ministry, the Vande Bharat service was expected to move closer to launch.

However, with the June 3 trial run cancelled, passengers, businesses, and other stakeholders are now awaiting an official update regarding a revised schedule for the trial run of the Bengaluru-Mangaluru Vande Bharat Express.